It's Never Too Late
by The Sidhe
Summary: What if there was another, very powerful individual who stepped in to prevent Anakin Skywalker from making a mistake? Star Wars III Revenge of the
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note:_**_ This is my first fanfic, so please, not too rough. Send the comments to me privately. Star Wars /Sil crossover._

_Before I forget: **OBLIGATORY LEGAL BLATHER: **Don't own them, not making any money off them. This is purely for the edification of my own overrated egomania.  
_

_ Oh, and see if anyone can guess who the "mysterious stranger " is? You may, if you know your literature well enough!;-)  
_

**It's Never Too Late…**

Darth Sideous, better known to the Galaxy at large as Chancellor Palpatine of the Galactic Republic, turned from the mirror in which he had been examining his ravaged face. He then went and stood in front of a young, black-clad Jedi Knight who had just saved his life… possibly at the cost of his own soul.

"Kneel before me, Anakin Skywalker," Palpatine said. Anakin hesitated for a brief instant, and then knelt.

Palpatine placed his hands upon Anakin's head. "Is it by your will and desire that you join your destiny with that of the Sith?" he asked. Before Anakin could reply, another voice spoke up.

"You're making a grave mistake, you know," it said.

Palpatine looked up and took a step back as Anakin leapt up and whirled to face the doorway to the Chancellor's office. There, leaning against a wall, stood a hooded and cloaked figure who had, unheard, unseen and, most important of all, _unfelt_, had entered the room and was now casually studying them. Anakin immediately took a defensive posture between Palpatine and the strange figure, while Palpatine readied himself for possible action. Then, both men began to examine the stranger.

For one, it was tall, taller than all but a few humanoids. Secondly, the manner of its dress was not that of a Jedi. It was dressed in a long, blue-black circular cloak, trimmed in an intricate embroidered band of silver interlocked knots, similar to those that were found in certain ancient documents in the Galactic Art Museum, worked on a band of a lighter blue material that looked as though it was that almost legendary material called _silk_. It was clasped at the right shoulder with a large brooch, and its hood was drawn over the stranger's head, leaving only the nose and mouth visible.

The brooch itself was a marvel of craftsmanship, and was obviously hand-made. It was circular in design, and had a diamond shaped coloured field worked into it. The diamond-shape itself contained a thin, black circle that looked as if it was made of some black gemstone inlayed into the surface. The four corners of the diamond-shape outside the circle were filled with a light-purple enamel, and were divided into two halves by long, wavy flames of inlayed red gemstone that reached into a third, inner circle. Inside the circle was a yellow enamel field divided not only by the four long, wavy flames of red gemstone, but by another four wavy flames of the same stone, coming out of the same source as the long tongues of flame, but only reaching to the rim of the black circle. The third, inner circle consisted of a bright, sky-blue crystalline material and it was divided up into eight, wedge-shaped coloured segments. Each segment had at its core a wedge-shaped diamond chip, and consisted of segments of brightly coloured enamel. There were only four colours, and were arranged so that they alternated in such a fashion that blue was opposite blue, green was opposite green, orange was opposite orange and red opposite red. But the true glory was the large, globular, uncut gemstone at the centre. It shone not by catching the light and refracting it, but as if it burned with an inner fire of its own. The silver surrounding the oblong was delicately chased in a gracefully flowing script that neither man could identify. Overall, the brooch could have looked gaudy, but the delicacy of its craftsmanship and the quality of its material meant that, by itself, it could have easily commanded the price of one of the most exclusive estates on Corsucant itself.

The cloak was thrown back to reveal a red lining that, again, seemed to be of that mythical material called silk. It also revealed a dark-green tunic that was also of the same material. Extending to above the knees and slit to the hip for ease of movement, and with loose sleeves that extended to just above the elbows, it too was trimmed, but this time in a gold knot-work embroidery on a red background at the hem, sleeve cuffs and at the neck opening. From within the neck opening something glistened, as though he wore some inner shirt made of woven metal. The tunic was belted at the waist with a belt that consisted of fine gold leaves. Each was an individual work of art in itself, with the veins of each leaf delicately picked out in silver, so that no two leaves were alike. It was fastened at the front with a clasp that was shaped to resemble a delicate, six-petaled white flower.

From it hung, at the left hip, a pouch of the type that one usually put things such as identity and banking cards, as well as spare credits. The difference with this one was that it was of tooled leather, worked over in a delicate botanical motif and stained in such a manner as to give the impression that it was worked of flowers and leaves. Next to it hung a standard communicator pouch. On the right side, though, hung what seemed to be a lightsabre.

It was, thought Anakin, the _oddest_ lightsabre that he had ever seen. Its energy-cell (if that was what it was) had been worked into the shape of a chased pommel normally found on antique swords. The handgrip was covered in what appeared to be the skin of some kind of fish, and was bound to the weapon with fine silver filigree executed in a botanical motif. Near the emitter array were two small projecting wings, almost where, on an antique sword, one might expect to find a cross guard. Finally, the actuator stud for the lightsabre was, not as one might expect, a plasteel stud, but a smoothened circular gemstone.

On his forearms he wore two metallic bracers. Both were of a silvery metal and intricately chased, with a motif of two trees and what appeared to be three gems. But on his right hand he wore a black glove, which was similar to those worn to ease burn marks, while his left hand was bare. Both hands, though, looked strong, with long, slender fingers.

His trousers and boots, although in themselves finely crafted, were, by comparison with the rest of his clothing, almost disappointingly plain. The trousers were of the same colour as his tunic, but of a more robust, but still finely woven material and were tucked into plain, light brown, soft leather boots that laced up at the front _That may explain how come we never **heard** him_, though Anakin, _but it still doesn't plain how come we never felt his presence. He has a lightsabre of some kind, but then, no Jedi **I** know of would dress like **that**!_

The stranger, with virtually no effort, and with a catlike grace, pushed himself off the wall he was leaning against, and, again with a catlike grace, walked over towards where Mace Windu had stood when he accused Palpatine of being a Sith Lord. That alone, when added that he was clearly _concealing_ his presence in the Force, warned both men that this was a very, very dangerous opponent in front of them. Despite the shift in position, however, the upper half of his face was still concealed by his cloak's hood. All it showed was a nose that was too perfect to be truly human, and a mouth that, save for the lines of an old pain that was not forgotten and, indeed, may have still been with him, would have been equally perfect. From within the hood, however, glittered two eyes that seemed to have some kind of bright fire within them.

Palpatine drew himself erect and, in an effort to regain the initiative, demanded, in as an imperious voice he could muster, "_What_ do you mean by coming in here and making that statement? And _who_ were you referring to anyway?"

The stranger shrugged, and took a step closer. "As to the first question, well, I speak from personal experience. About swearing oaths that none should make and none should take." As he spoke, he held up his gloved right hand. "As to the second, I was referring to young Anakin Skywalker here," he said.

Anakin was startled. "You know who I am?"

"Yes," said the stranger. "I've been watching you for some time now… _both_ of you," he said. "I've also been watching the Jedi Order as well as the Sith. Personally, I think they made an error in not fully trusting you, something I intend to take up with Yoda and the rest of the Jedi Council… those who survive… when I see them."

"But you are no Jedi!" shouted Palpatine.

"Very observant, for one so blinded by his own fears," calmly replied the stranger.

"What do _you_ know about my 'fears'", sneered the Sith Lord.

"More than you realise. Your fear of death, of loss of control, of being at the mercy of others, certain that _you_ would get none… Oh yes, youngster, I know _you_ and your kind _quite_ well."

As the stranger spoke, Anakin watched both him and Palpatine. It seemed to Anakin that Palpatine flinched at every word the stranger spoke, as though he was physically attacking him. Anakin also noticed that there was a stirring in the Force around the stranger. To his Jedi-trained senses, it appeared that the stranger was starting to reveal the true nature of his impact on the Force. His strength, to Anakin's senses, showed as a light being filtered through a piece of paper… like an old-fashioned candle shining through an equally old-fashioned paper lantern.

"You know much… for one who is not a Jedi," said Anakin.

"Indeed," replied the stranger, as he shifted into a posture that, though graceful and relaxed, Anakin recognised would enable him to spring into action at either of them if he needed to.

Anakin felt another stirring in the Force… this one darker than the stranger's, and realised that Palpatine was attempting to probe the stranger's mind. The slight smile on the stranger's pain-afflicted mouth told Anakin that he was well aware of what Palpatine was up to. To Anakin's astonishment, he realised that not only was the stranger aware, he was _amused_ by Palpatine's attempt to probe his mind.

"Have the Sith _truly_ forgotten all about me?" asked the stranger in a lightly mocking tone of voice. "Or did you kill your master before he could pass that knowledge on to you? Or has that knowledge been lost, to both the Jedi _and_ the Sith?" he asked, turning his gaze on Anakin.

Palpatine, seeing his opponent distracted by Anakin's presence, increased the pressure of his probe on the stranger's defences, which, from the even broader smile that appeared on his face, amused him even more. "There are things that you cannot even begin to dream of," he said to Palpatine, "things far older, darker, fouler and more powerful than you could possibly imagine. And I've faced them all. Compared to them," he continued, "you are but a stripling, as was your Sith master before you." This calmly-spoken barb appeared to enrage Palpatine. With sweat breaking out on his brow, Palpatine increased his efforts to penetrate the stranger's defences. And, letting a wicked grin break out on his face, the stranger lowered his defences so suddenly and unexpected that Anakin felt it, and realised that he had done so just enough so that Palpatine would find out who he faced.

At first Palpatine, so intent was he on breaking through his opponent's defences, let a look of triumph cross his ravaged features as he felt them go down. This was replaced by a look of puzzlement, as he realised that their collapse had been deliberate, and then a look of shocked realisation as he found out who his opponent was. With a cry of rage mixed with fear, Palpatine leapt back and, raising both arms, sent a torrent of Force lightning from his fingertips towards the stranger. The stranger, however, made no attempt to either parry the blast with his lightsabre, as had Master Windu, or to catch it in his bare hands and curl it up on itself, as had Master Yoda. Instead, he let it flow through him and around him, creating a kind of twisting aura about him and whipping his cloak back as though it was in a strong wind.

The stranger then threw back the hood of his cloak and, with a single movement of his left hand, unclasped the brooch that held it together and let the lightning whip it back, to finally come to rest against a wall. Now both Anakin and Palpatine saw what the stranger's face looked like. It was an ageless face, framed in a mane of auburn hair that was held back in a ponytail. Only the fine lines of pain that were at the corners of both eyes and mouth marred its ethereal beauty, and only the eyes, which now blazed with a clean, clear fire through irises as blue as ice chips, betrayed that this was indeed a truly ancient being. And, as he let his cloak fly aside, Anakin felt the stranger reveal his true presence in the Force. It was blinding, as though someone had uncovered a lantern in a darkened room and let its light shine forth.

Palpatine dropped his hands and, gasping for breath, staggered back against his desk. The stranger looked at Anakin, and said, "Young Jedi, I suggest you move to one side." Anakin, too stunned with what he had just witnessed, obeyed. The stranger then looked at Palpatine and said, "Now that we have vented that particular little outburst of temper, are we (and may the One help me, this is _so_ cliché," he muttered under his breath), "going to come along quietly, or do we have to do this the hard way?" In response, Palpatine, bracing himself against the desk, gestured and, using the Force, swept up a lightsabre that had belonged to one of the slain Jedi. Activating it, he assumed a guard position.

Ironically, the lightsabre he was holding had been Mace Windu's.

"The hard way, then," said the stranger. Flicking his own weapon up off his belt, he activated it.

Anakin saw that, unlike normal lightsabres, this one's blade shone not with an azure or green colour, or even purple, like Master Windoo's. Rather, it shone with a silvery-white light reminiscent of the sun shining off of a polished sword blade. It even _resembled_ the blade of an antique broadsword, an impression that was enhanced by the energy cross guards that came out of the projections on the sides. The stranger then flexed his left hand in a peculiar manner, and his left bracer immediately emitted an energy field in the shape of an old-style shield. _I've never even **heard** of something like this_, thought Anakin as he saw the stranger take up a guard totally unlike anything he had ever seen or learnt in the Jedi Temple.

Slowly, he became aware of a massive contest of wills between the two combatants. He noticed the differences in their demeanour: Palpatine, sweating, trying to gain supremacy in morale over his opponent; the stranger, calm, expressionless, waiting. Suddenly, Palpatine broke. With a roar, he lunged at the stranger, who calmly parried the thrust with his energy shield and counterattacked with an overhead cut from the right. Palpatine parried and then, swung a cut at his opponent's head. He calmly stepped out of the way while glancing Palpatine's blow from the blade of his weapon and immediately, using the energy obtained from Palpatine's attack, riposted with a reverse cut to Palpatine's flank, following it up with a cut from the "edge" of his energy shield. Palpatine just barely parried the cut, but was unable to stop the shield, which crashed into his right side, flinging him across the room towards the broken picture window.

Palpatine got up, and shakily assumed a guard position. It was quite clear that he was hopelessly outclassed in this sort of fight. It was also quite clear that the stranger was not fighting to kill but rather to subdue. Palpatine reached out with the Force, but not in an attack on the stranger. It was clear that he was looking for something. Suddenly, a humming noise came from outside the window. Palpatine's face creased into a smile and, with a roar of fury, threw his lightsabre at the stranger, who dodged it. To Anakin's horror, Palpatine then stepped backwards, and then jumped out of the shattered window.

Running towards the window, both the stranger and Anakin looked out and saw that Palpatine had landed on an automated cargo hauler and was busily crawling towards the control centre. "He'll hijack that hauler," said the stranger " and head to somewhere where he can get a hold of an interstellar communicator, and send out his codeword."

"What codeword?" asked Anakin.

"He has a special codeword implanted into the clones. 'Order 66' is what he calls it," said the stranger. "Once they get that, they will then begin to hunt down every Jedi knight in the Republic, starting with the leaders of the Republic's armies fighting the Separatists."

Anakin was horrified. "Can we stop him?" he asked.

"No, but we can alleviate it. But first, we have a little problem to deal with," said the stranger.

"What problem?"

"What to do with you," he said. With that same catlike grace he placed the tip of his lightsabre at Anakin's throat. "So, are you Jedi or Sith? Answer me true," he said.

Anakin thought. "If I said I was Jedi, what would you do?" he asked.

"Turn you over to the Council. But I would be there with you."

"And if I was Sith, would you kill me?"

"No. I would still turn you over to the Council. But then I would not be with you."

Anakin thought: _Am I a Sith? What Master Windu wanted to do was **wrong**. Palpatine should have been brought in for trial. Does that make me a Sith? Yet what Palpatine plans for the Jedi Order is also wrong. So, does that make me a Jedi?_

Anakin made his decision. He looked the stranger in the eyes and said, "I _truly_ do not know."

The stranger grunted. "Good enough," he said, and deactivated his weapons.

"What will you do with me?" Anakin asked.

"Search inside yourself, Anakin. What do _you_ want to do?"

Anakin thought some more. "I really, really do not know. What do _you_ think I should do?" he asked.

The stranger crossed his arms and leaned back against the window frame. "Go to the Council, when it convenes, and tell them _everything_. Even your marriage to Senator Padme Naberrie of Naboo," he said. "I'll be there with you."

"Will you?" asked Anakin.

"Count on it," said the stranger. "But first," he said, moving towards the Chancellor's desk, "we have a Sith lord to thwart as best we may."

"How can we do that?" asked Anakin. "How can we stop the clones from massacring the Order?"

"With some cunning and foresight," said the stranger, as he punched up the desk's holoprojector. He's not the only one who has had dealings with the clone masters of Kamino," he replied. "Oh, can you please get me that cloak? I'll need it," he said as he began to punch in a sequence.

Anakin went over, picked up the cloak from where it lay, and brought it to the stranger, who put it on, pulling the hood over his head. "Here's where Part One comes into play," he said. "When I first became aware of Palpatine's plan to undermine and dominate the Republic, I followed his trail to Kamino. I then spoke to the clone masters and, for some rather rare items, got them to slightly alter some of the accelerated conditioning they give the clones. Instead of Palpatine's 'Order 66', I had them place one of my own, which I am now going to activate." With that, he activated the general message circuit, which connected every clone unit to the Chancellor's Office.

In his best imitation of Palatine's voice, he said, "_Utulie'n aure!_" He then stood back and crossed his arms.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: **

Anakin watched as the stranger stood at Palpatine's desk, arms crossed, and clearly getting acknowledgements from clone units all over the Republic. After the final acknowledgement had been received, he gave a decisive nod, and then turned to Anakin. "Better than I had hoped for", he said. "About fifty percent, which is _much_ better than I had hoped for. The downside is, though, that after this, things are going to get a whole lot nastier."

"In what way?" asked Anakin.

"In that Palpatine will get the other fifty percent of the clone units," replied the stranger. "And when he realises what has happened, he'll strike, and strike hard. But it will also be a hasty blow, and in my experience, those tend to go awry."

"But Palpatine will need a communications suite. You said so yourself."

"Which buys us some time, which we shall put to good use " replied the stranger. He turned back to the communications display in the chancellor's desk. "General Priority order to all units: You are to protect _all_ Jedi with you from _all_ attack, both from without and within. This order will take priority over all other orders. Acknowledge." He again nodded as the acknowledgements again came in. "Second general order: you are to obey the orders of any Jedi in your vicinity. This order is to be executed at all, repeat _all_, costs, so long as it does not interfere with the General Priority order. Acknowledge." Again he nodded as the wave of acknowledgements came in from all over the Republic. "Good. Now inform your Jedi commanders what has transpired, and that they may expect attacks on both their persons and any loyalist clone units from subverted units in their vicinity. They may also expect attacks from within the legions they command from subverted units. Tell them that you know the challenge and countersigns and are able to determine friend from foe You will, of course, take steps to neutralise these threats. Acknowledge." Again a wave of acknowledgements came from all over the Republic. "Good. Carry out your instructions. Out." He then keyed off all but the commanders of the loyalist clone forces on Corsucant. " You have additional objectives, all of which take priority over any other instructions, save the General Priority order I have just issued," he said. "One legion is to go and secure the Jedi Temple from all attacks, both internal and external, and hold at all costs until relieved by loyalist units. Two legions are to secure the main military spaceport and hold at all costs, until relieved. The remaining two will secure the Senate Building and guarantee the safety of all Senators. They will then hold the building until relieved. I will meet the legion heading to the Temple either en route or there. The watchword is 'Day will come again.' Acknowledge." After the clone commanders had acknowledged their orders, he replied, "Good. Execute. Exiled Lord out." He then keyed in another set of numbers.

"Aren't we going to the Temple now?" asked Anakin.

"A couple of things more to do, young Jedi," said the stranger, "and then we'll make our way there. Palpatine is no doubt either on his way or arriving at the main military spaceport…"

"Which is held by four legions," said Anakin.

Two of which are now unshakeably loyal to the Republic," replied the stranger. "He'll undoubtedly issue his 'Order Sixty-Six' from there once he gets to a communications suite…" He cocked an ear as the distant sound of blaster fire came echoing down the corridors. "Sounds like he's just done so and has found out the unpleasant truth: that someone has beaten him to the punch. Now things will get rather messy."

"In what way?"

"He'll strike at the Temple. If he can't carry out his aim of exterminating every single Jedi, he'll try and take out the Order's very heart… and it's future."

"You mean…"

"Yes, Anakin. He'll kill _everyone_ at the Jedi Temple. Masters, Knights, Padawans, even the younglings. That, in essence is his 'Order Sixty-Six.' After that, he was going to blame the _Jedi_, claim that everything was a Jedi plot, and take supreme power."

Anakin stood there, horrified. "I should have let Master Windu kill him," he said.

The stranger came around from behind the desk and placed a fatherly hand on his shoulder. "Anakin, your basic instincts were _right._ Yes, Palpatine is a monster. Yes, what he has planned is monstrous. But Mace Windu was _wrong_ in trying to kill him out of hand. Between the two of you, you could have contained him. If _you_ hadn't acted, _I_ would have. Not necessarily as… spectacular as you did, but I would have prevented Mace Windu from killing him. Palpatine _must be brought to trial, in front of the whole Republic! You were right!_" said the stranger.

Both men turned towards the desk as the communications suite started to beep. "Hmm, that'll be the illustrious senators," the stranger said. "I'll have to calm them before finishing here" he said. He went behind the desk and keyed in the console. Immediately he was assailed by several voices, which all of a sudden stopped when they realised that this was _not_ Chancellor Palpatine.

"Who in all of the nine hells of space, are _you!_" shouted one senator.

"A friend of the Republic," replied the stranger. If you are wondering about the fighting, well, that's because we are in the middle of a rather complicated plot being executed by Chancellor Palpatine, also known as the Sith Lord Darth Sideous, to undermine the Republic and to take supreme power."

"_What!_" "A _Sith Lord?_" "_Preposterous!_" were just a few of the responses coming from the senators.

The stranger waited until they had all calmed down. "I assure you, it is true. The Jedi Council, informed by Jedi Skywalker, has indeed discovered this plot and have moved to neutralise it. After all, they did inform you that there was a Sith Lord around. They were as surprised as you all were when it turned out to be the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic himself."

"Can we speak to Jedi Skywalker?" asked one senator.

The stranger smiled. "He's here with me now. He can corroborate everything I've said to you. Jedi Skywalker, can you come over here and tell the good Senators what you told the Council, and what has transpired here?" said the stranger, and waved Anakin over to take his place.

"What do I tell them?" asked Anakin as he came over.

"The truth," said the stranger, as he stepped out of the field of vision. "But not all of it. Say that Master Windu and the others died trying to subdue him, but not that you tried to prevent Mace Windu from killing him outright. After all, the dead deserve their dignity, and this unpleasent truth could damage both him and the Order."

Anakin swallowed nervously, then turned to face the images of the various senators that had managed to get through. "As you are all aware, I was appointed Palpatine's personal representative on the Jedi Council," he began. "Today, in this very office, he admitted to me that he was the Sith Master that the Council had been searching for." He had to stop and wait for the astonished babble that erupted to die down. "I went to those members of the Council who were here on Corsucant. Master Mace Windu, three other Jedi Masters and myself came here and confronted Palpatine. He escaped, but not before killing Master Windu and the other three Masters."

"How was it that _you_ escaped unscathed, Jedi Skywalker?" asked one figure.

"Senator Kimmeria, it was through the intervention of… our unnamed friend here that I managed to escape unharmed," Anakin replied. "When Palpatine killed Master Windu, he intervened and drove Palpatine off," he continued. "I cannot tell you who or what he is, but he is familiar with the Order, and I am sure that either one of the more senior Masters may know of him, or that, deep in the Order's archives, there is information on him. But that is immaterial to the current crisis. As you are aware, fighting has broken out, both here and at the main military spaceport. Two legions of clones, whose loyalty to the Republic is totally unshakeable, have been assigned to secure this building and guard your persons from those units that Palpatine has subverted to his own ends. They will do so until help arrives from Republic forces off-planet. I will be shortly heading for the Jedi temple to help secure it in the company of our… unnamed friend, with another loyal legion."

The stranger then stepped back into view. "I would like to make a suggestion, if I may," he said. "If you like, I can name a Senator, or group of Senators, whose probity is unquestioned amongst you, to command the loyal forces here. Would Senator Prince Bail Organa, Senator Padme Naberrie and Senator Mon Motha be acceptable?" he asked. When no word of dissent came, he said "Good. I would appreciate it if you now please sign off and contact those of your colleagues who have not been able to get through and please tell them of what has transpired. Will Senators Organa, Naberrie and Mon Motha please remain?" He waited until all the other senators had broken contact, then turned to the three who had remained. "Your Highness, Senators," he said, "I do propose to turn over control of the loyal troops here to you, but one of you has to be the chief commander. Would Prince Organa be suitable?" he asked.

"You seem rather… knowledgeable, for a complete unknown," said Mon Motha.

The stranger grinned. "I've been around for quite some time," he said. "And Jedi Skywalker is right: the Order does have some records on me. Probably buried and forgotten, but they are there. I know, because I put them there, in the company of the then Jedi Archivist."

"How long ago?" Bail Organa asked.

"A… while ago, shall we say," replied the stranger. I've been around a _long_ time… and am aware of several things. For instance, Senator Mon Motha, I am aware of your 'little organisation'," he said to a shocked Mon Motha. "Do you think you could activate it, please, and put it at the disposal of the Republic? We may well need it," he said.

"But… but… _How_ did _you find out?_ We had thought it a well-kept secret," she said.

"And it was," the stranger replied. "Palpatine never knew about it. But again, how I found out is immaterial. The Republic is in danger. Please activate your organisation. Now, I propose," he continued, "to nominate Senator Prince Organa as the commander of the units stationed here. Does this meet with your approval?" he asked.

Padme Naberrie spoke up at once. " I agree. He has the experience, and is well respected. He should be acceptable."

Mon Motha said nothing, but simply nodded her assent.

"We are agreed? Then, Senator Prince Organa, I turn the command of the loyal troops here at the Senate Building over to you," said the stranger. " The watchword is 'Day will come again.' Tell them that you have come from Exile Lord, and that you are authorised to take command until relieved by a suitable officer of the Republic's forces, hopefully a Jedi. This" he continued, entering a string of numbers, "is my personal comcode. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have to take our leave."

Bail Organa and Mon Motha winked out, but Padme Naberrie remained. "Sir, may I please speak to Jedi Skywalker? It's… a… personal matter," she said, looking nervously at Anakin.

"Go ahead, Senator. I understand quite well," said the stranger.

He stepped away towards the door leading into the Chancellor's office in order to give them some privacy.

Anakin approached. "I'm here, Padme," he said.

"Does he…"

"… know about us? Yes," Anakin said. "And I get the impression that he cares."

"Annie, I'm scared."

"Padme, no matter where I am physically, you are always with me. You and our child," said Anakin.

"But Palpatine! He was one of my most trusted councillors! A _Sith Master?_ How could he fool everyone? How could he fool the Order?" continued Padme.

"He fooled everyone, Padme," said Anakin. "Me, especially, with his caring pose. But now we know, and we will deal with him. But Padme," he said, "I'll have to tell the Order everything… including about us. That's the only way to retain what little trust they may have in me," he finished.

"But they'll throw you out of the Order!" Padme said. "Even Master Kenobi wouldn't be able to save you from that!" she cried.

Anakin looked over to where the stranger stood. "Somehow, I don't think that will happen," he said. "Someone of both our recent acquaintances seems quite sure he can stop that," he continued. "Considering what I saw here today, and the… I don't know… his _feel_, I suppose." He hesitated, continued, "I think he could face down the entire _Order_ and get them to do his bidding."

"He does seem… impressive," Padme said.

"Try being in his presence. Both as a Jedi _and_ as a normal being," Anakin said. "Trust me on this: _impressive_ doesn't even begin to cover it." He looked back at the image of Padme on the Chancellor's desk. "I'm afraid I'll have to go," he said. "You'll be safer here than anywhere else, I think. We have two legions here to Palpatine's one, and they should be able to hold the building. I'll see you soon."

"I can't wait, but I'll see you soon also," said Padme, and her image winked out. Anakin stood upright and turned to the stranger. "I'm ready," he said.

"Good! But I have one more thing to arrange," he said. He strode over to the desk, got behind the communications suite, and re-keyed in the set of numbers he had earlier entered.

"And what's that?" asked Anakin.

"Palpatine has by now realised that his plan to take over in one fell swoop has failed," said the stranger. "He'll most likely try to escape off-world, possibly using his spare legion to cover his retreat. But, if he's like most self-proclaimed dark lords, he'll be a vindictive little swine," continued the stranger. "When he realises just _how_ his scheme was thwarted, mainly realising that the clone masters of Kamino have, shall we say, _betrayed_ him, he'll want to wreak vengeance on them. So, I feel obligated to warn them of what they could expect," he finished. As he did so, the holographic figure of a Kaminoan appeared on the desk in front of him.

"Chancellor Palpatine?" it asked.

"No," said the stranger. "It is urgent that I speak to the Prime Minister of Kamino at once. Please get him immediately. My recognition code is 'Er-Ranalantae.'"

The receptionist keyed in the code and, as the information came up on the screen in front of her, started. "Yes, my Prince! At once!" and blanked out, leaving the stranger with a somewhat pained look on his face.

"My _Prince_?" asked Anakin.

The stranger sighed, and turned the pained look on Anakin. "I once held that title," he said, "but through my own folly, and that of my sire and brothers, lost all right to it long ago. The Kaminoans like to flatter me with it. I did ask them to stop, but…" he trailed off.

The holographic screen remained blank for a while. "I imagine that the Prime Minister is examining his people's records on me," he said in a dry voice. "Or, more likely, he _has_ read the records and either has had heart failure or is now examining his options. Mind you, it has been some time since they last heard from me."

The holographic screen flickered back into life. "About time," muttered the stranger.

Before them stood the Prime Minister of Kamino. Unusually, for such a self-assured race, he seemed nervous, fidgeting as he faced the stranger. "Prince Ma…" he started, but the stranger cut him off.

"I suppose you were reading what your people have recorded about me," he said. Then, you had a little... _discussion_ with your advisors on the course of action you should take, in particular, who you should betray: a certain Sith Master, or me." The last two words were uttered in a silky tone full of menace that, to Anakin's Jedi-trained senses, simply screamed _I would be the worst one to try and betray._

The Prime Minister flinched, hesitated, and then drew himself up to his full height. "As if even to suggest…"

"That you would be capable of such an act?" finished the stranger. "I can tell you that your predecessors chose wisely: the codes I had implanted into the clones worked. This is simply a courtesy call to thank you, and to warn you that a certain Sith Master of both our acquaintances may try and seek revenge on you, once he realises how such a thing could occur." As he spoke, the sound of blaster fire crept closer to the Chancellor's office. "As it appears he may have found out, the decision is no longer in your hands," he said. "I would suggest using the codes on the clones in your own facility there, and use the clones that respond to look to your own defences, both from internal and external attack."

The Prime minister visibly trembled as the enormity of the situation hit him. "I shall do as you suggest, my Prince," he said. "And the… special commission?"

The stranger paused, thinking. Then, he muttered what, to Anakin, seemed like a prayer of some kind. "The special commission. Yes. Release them. And you may use my genetic material… for all the good it may do you. But look to your own defences." The stranger cut the communications link, and then turned to Anakin. "Time to go, he said. He strode towards the door and activated his lightsabre and shield.

Anakin activated his weapon and followed. Despite his qualms, it felt _good_ to be at last _doing_ something. For some strange reason, he once again felt that he was with Obi-Wan as his padawan, and once again facing great odds. "Where are we headed?" he asked.

"To the flyer garage, and then to the Temple," said the stranger. He stepped towards the door and it opened to let them through. As they strode down the corridor the sound of fighting grew closer. "Sounds like we may have to cut our way through some obstacles…" Anakin trailed off, astonished. He had almost called the stranger _Master_. And indeed, it felt as if he _was_ in the presence of a great and powerful Jedi Master. _Except that he is definitely no Jedi_, he thought. "How do we tell the loyalist troops from Palpatine's?" he asked.

"Use your feelings," the stranger replied. "The Force will be able to tell you who fights for who." He stopped at a corner, and peered around. In front of a bank of turbolifts there raged a firefight between two groups of clone troops. He turned back to Anakin. "Stay close behind me and cover my back," he said. "My shield will cover us. Oh, and by the way," he continued, " don't turn your nose up at the offer of a blast rifle or pistol. In the right situation…"

"Like now?" asked Anakin.

"Not quite, but they do have their uses. Otherwise, they would never have been created."

"But Master Kenobi considers blasters uncivilised," replied Anakin.

The stranger sighed. "Damn 'lightsabre mystique'," he muttered. Then, looking Anakin directly in the eye, he said "Rule One of Combat: _No_ weapon is uncivilised in a fight! Fighting itself, by its very nature, is uncivilised. The only redeeming nature in a fight is the cause you fight for if it is truly noble and just."

"How do you determine that?" asked Anakin.

"If it _feels_ just, and the deeds you perform _are_ just, then it _is_ just," replied the stranger. "Ask yourself: how would _I_ feel if what my opponent says differs from what he does? Not the clearest of advice," he continued, "but it is the best I can do. Believe me, better minds than mine have struggled with this." He looked at the firefight, then looked at Anakin. "Ready?"

Anakin nodded. "_**Now!**_" shouted the stranger. He raced around the corner, lightsabre held high, shield in front. Anakin followed, his weapon held in a guard position. Both beings bore down on the attacking clone troopers, the stranger shouting out a war cry in his strange tongue. "_Auta i lome! Aure en tuluva!_" The attacking troopers turned and found themselves suddenly in a whirlwind of lightsabres and shield. The defending troopers let out similar cries, and cut their way into the fight. Within minutes, it was over. The stranger deactivated his weapons and, as he bent down to pick up a blast rifle, the commander of the defending troops came up to him and said "_Herulva?_"

The stranger started, and turned to the clone trooper. "They programmed _that_ into you?"

"Yes, _heru_," said the clone officer. The stranger shook his head in amazement and muttered what sounded suspiciously like a curse under his breath. The clone officer ignored this and asked "Your orders, _heru_?"

The stranger sighed. "We are heading to the flyer garage. You will escort us there. " He moved towards the turbolifts.

"_Herulva_, there is a major firefight in the flyer garage. Is this wise?" asked the clone officer.

"We have to get to the Jedi Temple. So far, the flyer garage seems the best way to get us there in time," replied the stranger.

"_Heru_, we have gained control of the airspace around the Senate building," said the clone officer. "We can get you a gunship to outside any of the windows on this floor."

The stranger smiled. "_That_ is excellent news," he said. "Arrange for one to meet Jedi Skywalker and I outside the Chancellor's office. We'll be waiting." He turned to Anakin and said "Back to the Chamberlain's office, Anakin." He stooped down and relieved a dead trooper of his blast rifle and charge belt. "Oh, and Anakin?" he said, standing back up."

"Yes?"

"Catch!" said the stranger, who tossed the blast rifle and belt at Anakin. Anakin caught them and looked at the stranger, who was relieving another dead trooper of his rifle and belt. "What do I do with these?" he asked.

"Use them, of course!" replied the stranger. Standing upright, he slung the blast rifle and started to buckle on the charge pack belt. "Sure, using lightsabres by themselves may sound civilised, romantic, noble and all the rest of that crap," he said, "but, in the end, a lightsabre is nothing but another weapon to be used in what is, in the end, a rather filthy business," he finished.

"Nothing but another weapon?" said an incredulous Anakin. "But... but... a lightsabre is..."

"The weapon and emblem of a Jedi Knight," finished the stranger. He turned a cool gaze on Anakin. "I know. I was there when the Order was founded," he said.

"_You_ were _there_ when the Order was founded?" exclaimed Anakin. But... but... that was thousands of years ago!" he stammered. _If his claim is true_, he thought,_ then this stranger is older than even Master Yoda!_

"True," conceded the stranger. He flashed Anakin a grin. "Don't look my age, do I?" he said. He started off for the Chancellor's office, a stunned Anakin Skywalker trailing along in his wake. "Actually," he said, "_if_ you know what to look for, I do look my age. You mortals really don't know what to look for, but the best clue is in the eyes," he continued.

"In the eyes?"

"Yes. But as I was going to say," said the stranger as they entered the Chancellor's office, "while the Jedi have always used lightsabres of _some_ kind, it was somewhat different at the very beginning. You see," he said, heading over towards the shattered window, "they did remember what I told them: that a knight was, in the end, a warrior. And that warriors must be ready to use all kinds of weapons. So they trained in using arms of various kinds. The 'mystique of the lightsabre' was a somewhat later development," he concluded. He looked around the office, his gaze roving across the dead Jedi. "Seems I may have to remind them of that... _again_," he said, moving to pick up the weapons of the fallen. He came to Palpatine's lightsabre, hesitated, and then waved Anakin over. "Here, hold these," he said, handing Anakin the weapons of the slain Jedi. "We'll reclaim the dead later." He then picked up Palpatine's weapon with the tips of his fingers, looked at it with some distaste, and then put it into his pouch.

The whine of turbines approached the window. The stranger walked to it and looked outside. "Ah," he said. "Our ride approaches." He stepped back as the shape of a gunship filled the window. The pilot managed to get it as close as he can. "Looks like we'll have to jump," said the stranger. He then took the small leap across the gap separating the gunship's personnel compartment from the window frame. Anakin followed.

The stranger turned to one of the clone troopers in the compartment. "Give me the comm.," he said. He took the communications headset from the clone trooper, and said to the pilot, "Take us to the Jedi Temple. Maximum speed."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three.**

"So... who _are _you?" asked Anakin.

The stranger sighed. "I suppose, by now, I am something of a myth amongst the Jedi and the Sith," replied the stranger. He turned a wryly-amused look on Anakin. "Oh, yes," he continued, "I know both the Jedi Order and the Sith... probably better than they do."

"But you do have a name, don't you?" asked Anakin.

"I've had several names, over the eons," the stranger replied. "But, now, I mostly call myself _Er-Ranalantae_," he said, "It means _The Fallen Wanderer_ in Galactic."

"Fallen Wanderer?" asked Anakin.

"Yes. You may have surmised by now, from the snippets of information you have overheard, that I was once a great lord amongst my people, a prince. My father was our uncrowned king," replied the stranger. "And he was acknowledged the mightiest of us all, in knowledge, skill and power. But he, my brothers and I threw away our birthright when we all took that oath I mentioned earlier."

"The one that none should make and none should take," said Anakin.

"Yes," replied the stranger. "And this," he said, taking off the glove from his right hand," was one of its results." He showed his hand to Anakin. On its palm and fingers Anakin saw the scar of what was clearly a third-degree burn. "And before you ask," the stranger said, as he painfully put the glove back on, "I have tried several forms of healing, including bacta therapy. Because of the nature of my wound, none have succeeded."

"What caused it?"

The stranger sighed. "A jewel of great power and sanctity," he replied. "You could call it a physical manifestation of the Force." He looked into the distance at something that Anakin could not see. "It was one of a set of three made by my father. It contained a... kind of light that came from neither sun, nor moon nor star. My father captured it and incorporated it into these three jewels. They were blessed by a very powerful being, and another said that the fate of... well, everything, was bound up in them." He fell silent, still looking at a scene only he could see.

"What became of them?" asked Anakin.

"They became separated. One is now a star, one is in the bowels of my home world, and one is in its seas. It has been foretold that they will be reunited one day." The stranger looked at Anakin. "And they were another part of my family's birthright, the jewels of light made by my father, that we threw away, thanks to that accursed oath and all that came from it." He turned away and looked in the direction of the Temple. "I really don't want to talk about this any more," he said.

Palpatine angrily strode through the military spaceport's communications centre. It had been from here that he had issued his instruction to 'Execute Order Sixty-six', and it was also here that he had learned that his plans had been thwarted.

_Only half!_ he thought furiously. _Only half of the clone legions! And two of them are engaged in fighting with two **other** legions here!_ He paced in front of the communications suite, taking in reports from all over the Republic._ What should have been **my **Empire!_ he thought. _At least I have destroyed about half of the Jedi Order, and at least one-third of the Council. Soon, I will tear out its very heart and destroy any real future the Order may have._

The reports coming in gave him little comfort. The one legion that was loyal to him out of the three positioned at the Senate was being overwhelmed by the other two. On several worlds vicious three-way battles had broken out between his forces, those of the Separatists and those still loyal to the Republic. On several others, both his forces and those of the Separatists had been overwhelmed. In addition, he had lost his best asset, the cyborg general Grievious, _to that blasted meddling Jedi Master Kenobi!_ he fumed, and on the Wookie homeworld his loyal senior officers had been taken out by both Yoda and officers loyal to the Republic. In both cases, the Separatist forces had been destroyed. _No doubt Yoda and Kenobi will be on their way back here_, thought Palpatine. _But interstellar travel takes** time**. Time I'll use to both destroy the Temple and make my escape._ He continued to pace as he both thought and listened to the fighting going on in the military spaceport.

_Everything was going perfectly! Everything!_ he angrily thought. _I had young Skywalker in the palm of my hand! If only..._ His thoughts trailed off as he contemplated what had happened back in the Chancellor's office.

As a Sith Master he had knowledge of many things that many Jedi did not. He had managed to surreptitiously probe, over the years, the minds of many of the Council, and had succeeded in muddying the Force to their senses, while he had kept his own clear and focussed on his chosen path. It had never occurred to him that someone who could conceal _his_ presence in the Force so completely that not even he could detect him.

That was, until today.

What he had learned when the stranger let him into his mind only far enough to learn what _he_ allowed Palpatine to find out still shook the Sith lord. The Sith archives he had managed to salvage had mentioned a powerful, mysterious figure, and Palpatine had no doubt that that the Jedi archives held similar information. But to find that this figure actually existed, and was far more powerful than any known Sith or Jedi master (_including Yoda! Who I had thought my greatest threat!_ he thought) shook Palpatine to the very core of his being.

A chime from the communications suite informed Palpatine that there was an incoming call. He strode over to the suite and hit the acknowledge key. The image of a clone officer materialised in front of him. "Well?" he demanded.

"We are approaching the vicinity of the Jedi Temple, my lord," reported the officer. "However, we are encountering some resistance."

Palpatine bit off a curse. "What kind of resistance?" he demanded.

"We have encountered an outer perimeter of rebel clone troopers, my lord," replied the officer. "Initial indications are that the Temple and its immediate vicinity are defended by at least one full legion of troopers."

Palpatine let the rage that had consumed him at this news flow out of him, in order to clear his mind. _A legion! Who..._ he thought. Then, he remembered the stranger. That _terrifying_ stranger.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. It always allows someone to have twenty-twenty vision of events _after_ they have occurred. Palpatine learned the truth of that saying that day, in the communications centre of Corsucant's main military starport. It was now all so clear, the reason his plans had gone awry. The stranger had indeed been watching him: hadn't he admitted it himself? And, realising what Palpatine was up to, and seeing how he had so confused the Jedi Council's perception of the Force, had, quite possibly at the same time as Palpatine, laid out his own plans to counter Palpatine's scheme. _And part of that was to preserve the Jedi Order_, Palpatine thought. _Both the Order **and** the Temple._ It was quite clear now, that another part of his mysterious opponent's scheme was to somehow subvert the process by which his "Order Sixty-Six" command was implanted into the clone troopers. _And, most likely, replacing it with an order of his own_, Palpatine thought darkly. And, it was equally clear that that order had, in at least half the clone legions, proofed them against _his_ order.

Equally clear was the unpleasant fact that there was now nothing for him here on Corsucant. _Nothing, that is, save for one thing._ With that thought in mind, he turned to the clone officer's image. "Hold your current positions," he ordered. "I will send assistance." He then turned to the communications officer manning the post. "Send a general order to all loyal forces here on Corsucant. They are to disengage and march _immediately_ on the Jedi Temple. Once there, they are _to utterly destroy both the Temple and all life within it._" _At least I'll have **that **pleasure_, he thought to himself. "I will be leaving Corsucant to rally all loyal forces off-planet," he continued. "Once this is done, I will return, and crush all treason both here and throughout the Republic." He turned to a clone naval officer. "Have my personal transport readied for immediate departure," he said. He turned to another officer. "Prepare a list of all systems that are under our loyal forces' control," he said. "Have it ready by the time we reach orbit." As the clone officers went about his bidding, Palpatine closed his eyes and began to sketch out a rough plan of action. He would make his final decision as to what course of action he would take when he had further knowledge of the worlds that his forces held.

"_Herulva_, we have reached the outer defence cordon surrounding the Temple," said the gunship pilot. "We have received the challenge and have sent the countersign."

"Good. Set us down at the main entrance," replied the stranger. He then turned to Anakin. "You'll get out first," he said. "As a junior member of the Council, they'll look to you for answers."

"What about you?" Anakin asked.

"Oh, they'll ask questions. Even have some suspicions," replied the stranger. "But having you establish my _bona fides_ may well make our task that much easier." The stranger looked out of the hatch. "We're about to land. Get ready,' he said.

Anakin looked out of the open hatchway. Already, he could see that the clone legion had erected barricades and had emplaced self-propelled turbolaser and projectile artillery on the approaches to the Temple. However, on the main Temple platform, confusion reigned as those Jedi currently resident within the Temple argued with clone officers who were trying to establish defences there. _Have to sort that out, and soon_, thought Anakin, as the gunship settled down in front of the main entrance to the Temple.

No sooner had he disembarked from the gunship and had taken some half-dozen steps towards the Temple entrance Anakin found himself surrounded by Jedi of all grades, ranging from venerable Jedi Masters to senior Jedi Knights and their padawans. Anakin did his best to try and answer all the questions he was bombarded with, but he also kept scanning the faces of those Jedi surrounding him. Finally, he saw a Council member come out of the main entrance, and felt a sensation of overwhelming relief flood through him. "Madame Gallia!" he cried. "Over here!"

The crowd around Anakin parted to let Madame Adi Gallia, Jedi Master and member of the Council, through. She halted in front of Anakin. "Jedi Skywalker," she said, "can you explain to me what is going on?"

"I can," Anakin replied. "But first: what is the condition of the Council, and of the Order?"

Gallia shot Anakin a rather unreadable look. "Masters Kenobi and Yoda are alive. So is Madam Billaboa. Master Rancsis is alive, but wounded. Masters Ki-Adi-Mundi, Kloon, Poof and Madame Allie are all dead, slain by the clone troopers they led." She looked around. "Where is Master Windu?

Anakin had paled at the roll call. "Master Windu is dead," he replied. "So are Masters Tiin, Tolar and Fisto. I was lucky not to have fallen. And the Order?"

"Madame Yaddie is within the Temple receiving reports, but it appears that half the Jedi who were leading clone legions have been killed by the troops they led," replied Gallia. "As a result, many here, including myself, are somewhat... wary about the trustworthiness of these troops."

A voice came from behind Anakin. "I can vouchsay their trustworthiness," it said. Everyone within hearing turned in its direction. The stranger stood before them, the gunship that had brought him and Anakin to the temple lifting off behind him. A breeze rustled his cloak.

The Jedi surrounding Anakin immediately went on their guard. Adi Gallia frowned as she began to concentrate on the stranger... and took on a look of astonishment as she felt the strength of the stranger's presence in the Force. "And cow can you 'vouchsay' for these troops?" she asked.

The stranger smiled. "Tell me, Madame Gallia, do I _feel_ like a Sith Master?" he asked, spreading his hands wide. Gallia frowned again, and examined his presence still further. In reply, the stranger only smiled as he let Gallia probe his psyche.

Gallia's frown grew even deeper as she realised that he was opening himself up to her probe to an extent that most Jedi Masters would not allow. Then, as she probed deeper, her frown abruptly changed into a look of shock mingled with astonishment. Eventually, she shook herself. Looking the stranger in the eye, she said, "Well, you are unlike any being _I _ have ever encountered."

"In what way?" asked the stranger.

Gallia hesitated. "You seem... like a great Jedi Master from ages past," she said. "Long ages past... before the Republic was even thought of."

The stranger gave a small, but elegant bow. 'I thank you for the compliment," he said. "However," he continued, looking around," we have a defence to put in order against at least a legion of Palpatine's troops." He looked at the spires of the Temple's towers. "I take it that you didn't allow the troopers to put anti-aircraft weapons up there," he said.

Gallia looked at him. "No," she said. "As I said, we could not be sure of these troopers."

The stranger continued looking at the towers. "Too late to put heavy weapons up there," he said, "but we might be able to get some teams with repeating blasters and some portable concussion missiles up there." He looked at Gallia. "If you like, you can put some Jedi in charge of them. I'll tell them to obey their commands." He looked around the platform. "I would also _strongly_ recommend," he continued," that you also permit the troops to establish defence posts at the corners of the Temple platform and in front of the main entrances." His tone of voice made his recommendation more like a command. To Anakin's surprise, he noted that it had an effect on Gallia, for she straightened her shoulders like a trooper coming to attention. "I would also suggest that barriers be erected on the edge of the platform and at the top of the stairs to fight from behind, and that Jedi masters, Knights and the senior padawans man them alongside the clone troopers.."

"You clearly expect an attack on the Temple," said Gallia.

"It's obvious," said the stranger. "Once Palpatine realises that his plot to take over the Republic by wiping out the Order and then blaming _you_ for 'attempting a coup against the Chancellor and the Senate' has misfired," he said, ignoring the look of shock on Gallia's face, "he would at least try and salvage something from the wreckage. And if it also dealt the Order a massive blow that it would take a _long_ time to recover from, if ever, well, that would be worth trying. Destroying the Temple and all Jedi that are within it would fit that bill, don't you think?"

Gallia stood stunned at the enormity of what the stranger had so casually dropped on her. Finally, she shook herself and said, "Yes, it would." She turned and began to issue instructions to the Jedi who surrounded them, listening to every word they had been saying.

The stranger took Anakin off to one side. "Anakin," he said, "I want you to begin organising defensive positions within the Temple's entrances. Put clone troopers, with mid-level padawans and Jedi behind barricades. Organise a defence-in-depth, with interlocking fields of fire."

Anakin nodded. "And what are you going to do?" he asked.

The stranger grinned. "Find the Jedi Archivist," he said. "She has some things of mine I left in the archives some time ago." Before he could go into the Temple, though, a clone officer came up.

"_Herulva_," he said, "the outer perimeter reports that a legion is coming from the east. They have engaged its lead elements after they could not give the proper countersign. Your orders?"

"Tell them to delay the enemy's forces as much as possible," said the stranger. "They are to fall back onto secondary positions only if it looks like they are going to be overrun. They are to bleed the enemy's forces as much as possible." The clone officer acknowledged the stranger's commands and turned to carry them out.

The stranger turned to Anakin. "We'd both better get a move on," he said. "There's a battle to get ready for." They both headed into the Temple on their respective tasks.


	4. Chapter 4

_It's been a while since i last updated. I do apologise for that, bit I had to take care of a few things first. That, and i hadn't been feeling particularly inspired. I hope to have a new update ready for this and my other story soon._

_Now, here is the next part!_

* * *

As the sun slowly rose over Corsucant, Anakin rested his back against the barricade along the edge of the Jedi Temple's main platform. He looked up at the main facade, a major work of art in its own right and one of the treasures of the Republic.

That facade was now heavily damaged as a result of the battle that had been fought around the Temple. From within its precents a column of smoke still rose from where a gunship had crashed into the Temple. The resulting explosion had caught fire to the Temple, but the damage had been contained. Still, the damage to the Temple had been quite considerable, and several priceless artifacts had been lost.

Anakin turned around and looked over the barricade, itself scarred with blaster impacts. Down below he could see work crews clearing away the detritus of the battle: rubble, damaged or destroyed vehicles... and the bodies of the clone troopers from both sides who had fallen in combat. There were a lot of those.

Up on the main terrace similar crews were also clearing away similar detritus. The bodies of the Jedi who had fallen, however, were being taken into the Temple to be readied for proper disposal. Anakin knew that there were going to be quite a few pyres burning that night.

_But we saved the Temple_, he thought. _And the Order. That's the main thing. _

He thought back on the stranger. _He_ had been truly inspirational.

He had surprised everyone by emerging clad in battle armour that was quite clearly styled on some antique design from the lost ages of the Galaxy's history. Alongside him, and similarly clad, were the two senior Padawan learners he had claimed as _esquires_, a word that the Jedi Archivist had had to look up to find its meaning. All three sets of armour was made of some silvery metallic substance that rapidly proved itself to be proof against blaster bolts. Anakin had also noticed that the vambraces the stranger normally wore were an integral part of the armour.

When quizzed about the armour by curious Jedi, the stranger simply said "I had it made and deposited here for such an eventuality," and deflected any other questions.

He had assembled the clone legion's ARC troopers as a kind of rapid reserve force, leading them into the thickest parts of the battle with a fearlessness that awed all who saw it. His skill with that unusual lightsabre of his was equally awesome, and his mere presence inspired both clone troopers and Jedi to greater exertions. Still, it had been a close thing.

What had eventually turned the battle in their favour was the extra legion that Senator Prince Bail Organa had released from its guard duty at the Senate. It had pitched into the rear of the already depleted ranks of Palpataine's troops and, simply by taking them by surprise, enabled the hard-pressed defenders of the Temple to drive the attacking troops off.

None of Palpataine's troops had surrendered: they had fought to the last trooper, a development that augured ill for the future course of the war._ A civil war that has just gotten worse_, thought Anakin.

A shadow fell over him. He looked up and saw the stranger standing there in front of him. He had removed his armour and was again wearing the unusual garb he had worn when he had intervened in Palpataine's office. "We've just received a message," he said. "Masters Yoda, Kenobi and the other surviving members of the Council have just jumped into the system and will be on Corsucant in a few hours. Palpataine has fled the system, and forces loyal to the Republic are mopping up the last remnants of his forces in system."

Anakin stood up. "So the surviving Council members will be here shortly?" he asked. The stranger nodded. "Then I suppose I had better prepare for my meeting with them... and my expulsion from the Order."

The stranger laid his gloved hand on Anakin's shoulder. "I think it is a little early to be talking about being expelled, Anakin," he said. "You won't be facing them alone, that I can promise you."

Anakin looked the stranger in the face. "You'll be there?" he asked.

The stranger nodded. "Yes, I will be," he said. "And not just for your sake. Remember that I commented that I may well have to teach the Jedi Order some lessons they've forgotten?" Anakin nodded. "Well, when we confront the remaining members of the Jedi Council is as good a time as any to begin that task." He laid his arm over Anakin's shoulders and guided him towards the Temple. "Come," he said. "We have time and we had best put it to use to prepare."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The transport that carried Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda began its final descent onto the main platform in front of the Jedi Temple. From its interior both Jedi Masters could see the damage that the recent fighting had inflicted on both the Temple and the surrounding structures. They could also see the loyal close troopers, overseen by Jedi knights, clearing away debris and dead from around the Temple.

Kenobi looked at Master Yoda. "To think that the Sith Lord we were looking for turned out to be Chancellor Palpataine!" he said. "He was underneath our noses all this time! And to think that Anakin and I risked our lives to rescue him from Grievous' command ship!" A thought came to him. "He must have arranged that whole incident. But _why_?"

Yoda looked at Kenobi. "Many layers, and many paths, does a Sith Lord's plan have," he said. "Yet to the one objective they lead: power. Plus young Skywalker, I feel, Palpataine had been watching and cultivating, indeed."

"You think he was trying to turn Anakin to the Dark Side?" Kenobi asked.

Yoda nodded. "Yet something from that fate saved him," he replied. "What, I know not yet. But know it we shall." He indicated the temple. "In the Council chamber he awaits us, as do the surviving members of the Council. Yet..." Yoda frowned slightly, as if something had suddenly come to him.

"What, Master Yoda?"

Yoda looked back at Kenobi. "This day, the Jedi Order, as we have known it, cease to exist will it. What takes its place, I know not. But the answer we will find in the Council chamber." With that he moved towards the main entrance to the Temple, with Kenobi following him. Near the main entrance they encountered Madame Billaboa, who had arrived just before them.

"Heard from Madames Yaddie and Gallia, have you?" asked Yoda as he and Kenobi came up to where she stood waiting for them.

Billaboa nodded. "They're in the Council Chamber, along with Jedi Skywalker," she replied, falling into step with them. "Jedi Skywalker is waiting to make his report."

"Then we'd better go and hear what he has to say," replied Kenobi. Together the three of them walked towards the turbolift that would take them to the High Council chamber.

On the way they passed the signs of hard fighting that had enveloped the Temple. Here and there wounded clone troopers and Jedi ly being tended to by medical droids, while in other places the dead lay, waiting to be properly disposed of. The passing Masters could see that there would be many pyres burning throughout both the day and well into the night, and that the Order had suffered a blow that would take time to recover from.

_But we __**will**__ recover_, Kenobi thought as they entered the turbolift and started on the long ascent to the Council chamber. _Even if it takes years, the Order will recover. But will the Republic?_ He shook his head. _No way of knowing that answer now._

As the doors to the turbolift opened they made to exit, but, on seeing the scene in the Council Chamber, they halted. There, kneeling, with head bowed, before the chair that Yoda usually sat in, knelt Anakin Skywalker. He was clad only in a loincloth, with even the black glove he usually covered his artificial hand with, removed, showing the hand's structure. In front of him, and ostentatiously out of reach, was his lightsabre, resting at the foot of Yoda's seat. It was lying on top of his Jedi clothing. Next to it lay another lightsabre. In the seat next to Yoda's, the one customarily occupied by Mace Windu, rested a third lightsabre. In his customary seat rested the holo image of Jedi Master Rancsis, his wounds obvious to the onlookers. On either side of Anakin stood Madames Allie and Yaddie, weapons drawn but not ignited.

Kenobi and Billaboa halted in astonishment just outside of the turbolift, but Yoda continued on for a few steps before stopping behind the kneeling Anakin. He looked around, taking in the surroundings. "Long has it been for this I have seen," he said. "The Ritual of Atonement." He looked at Anakin. "Much you feel you have to atone for, yes?"

Anakin kept looking at the floor in front of Yoda's seat. "Indeed, Master Yoda," he replied.

Yoda looked at Anakin, and then sighed. "Then this ritual we must begin," he said. He looked at Allie and Yaddie. "Stand beside this Jedi, do you?"

Both shook their heads. "Then, stand alone, does he?"

"No," came a voice from beside the turbolift. Except for Anakin, Allie and Yaddie, all turned to where a cloaked and cowled form stood, wearing clothing that, to the assembled Jedi Council members, looked positively archaic.

Yoda frowned as he concentrated on the figure. "A Jedi you do not seem to be," he said. "What right have you to stand beside this Jedi?"

The figure advanced, drawing his hood back as he did so. "The right of one who was there," he replied. "As you well know, child."

Kenobi, Billaboa and Rancsis looked at the stranger with shocked astonishment. _Who does he think he is,_ thought Kenobi, _to address Master Yoda like that?_ Then he looked at Yoda, and was further astonished at what he saw on Yoda's face.

There, on the face of the little Jedi Master was a look of astonishment mingled with a growing joy and respect. He started to tremble, his eyes filling with liquid. He attempted two times to speak, but, although he opened his mouth, nothing came out. Finally, he spoke. "Master?" he said.

To say that the other Jedi were shocked would be an understatement. They, except for Anakin, looked from Yoda to the stranger and back again. _Master?_ Kenobi thought. _Master Yoda called this stranger __**Master?**__ Who __**is**__ he?_

The stranger smiled and, with an easy, catlike stride, walked over to where Yoda stood. Kneeling, he embraced the little Jedi Master, who returned the embrace. "It has been a long time, I know," he said. "But I'm back." Looking at the dumbfounded Jedi Masters surrounding them he smiled. "And I do believe you have an image to maintain," he said. "Especially with this one, I suspect," he continued, indicating Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Coming out of the embrace, Yoda wiped his eyes and nodded. "Set this up you did, Grand Master?" he asked. Then he shook himself and gave a wry smile. "Of course set this up you did."

_Grand Master?_ Kenobi was dumbfounded. "Excuse me, Master Yoda, but who _is_ this person?" he asked. "I wasn't aware we _had_ a Grand Master."

Yoda nodded. "At the very beginning, he was," he said. "Taught the Jedi much he did. Much we forgot." He looked at the stranger. "Grand Master he was made by the first Jedi Council, and Grand Master he is."

"But that means..." The other looked at the stranger. "The Founder," Kenobi whispered. "_You_ founded the Jedi Order."

The stranger nodded. "But I don't consider myself to be a Jedi," he replied. "More of an independent teacher, shall we say?" He looked at Yoda. "And there is business before this Council that we must attend to."

Yoda nodded. "Then take our seats we shall," he replied.

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Throughout the entire ritual trial (for that is what it was) Anakin kept looking at the floor in front of Yoda. Madames Allie and Yaddie never moved from their guard positions flanking Anakin as he gave a detailed account of what had happened in the Grand Chancellor's office, including his disabling Mace Windu in order to prevent him from killing Palpataine, and what had happened on Tatooine all those years ago. He also revealed that he had secretly married Padme Amidala, something which violated all of the Order's strictures and something for which he could be expelled.

Yoda looked at Obi-Wan Kenobi as Anakin made that revelation. "Secret this was not from _all_ members of this Council, I suspect," he said. He looked at Anakin. "Grievous is what you did, young Skywalker," he said. "Expelled from this Order you should be."

"But won't be," replied the stranger. "Anakin helped me to ward off the worst damage that Palpataine had intended for the Order. And, although his actions could be considered extreme, his instincts were right. If he had not acted, _I_ would have."

Yoda looked at the stranger. "Then, what do you suggest, Master?" he asked.

"Give him over to my care for now," the stranger said. "I will teach him and prepare him for his proper place: as a Jedi Master and a member of this council." He looked at Anakin. "Qui-Gonn Jinn was right to have him made a Padawan Learner, even in spite of his age at the time, for Anakin Skywalker has great potential. And, as the only Jedi who has stood on the edge of the precipice, he is better equipped than _any_ Jedi Master to teach about the perils of succumbing to the lure of the Dark side."

Yoda considered, and then nodded. "Agree with this I do," he said. He looked at the other council members. "How say the Council?"

Kenobi spoke up. "I agree," he said. "And I ask of the Founder if I, too, may join him as a student."

The stranger smiled. "I was going to ask that you be assigned to me, Master Kenobi," he said. "I know of the bond between you and Anakin here."

"I agree as well," said Madame Allie. "However, I won't ask to be assigned to the Founder. I suspect that he may want to suggest other duties for me." Madame Yaddie said nothing, but simply nodded.

"Indeed I do," replied the stranger. "Your greatest duty is to prepare as many Padawans to become Jedi Knights as you can, for they will surely be needed."

Madame Billaboa also said nothing, but simply gave a nod. Only Master Rancsis remained, and he looked somewhat doubtful. "How can you be sure that he will not turn?" he asked the stranger.

"Why not ask him yourself?" replied the stranger, looking at Anakin.

Anakin kept looking at the floor in front of where Yoda sat. "The Founder asked me pretty much that question in the Chancellor's office in the Senate building," he said. "Except that he asked me if I was Jedi or Sith."

"And your answer?"

"I told him that I did not know."

"A good answer, that is," said Yoda. "Much wisdom you have gained, and much you have paid for it." He looked at the others. "Believe I that to the Grand Master's wishes we must accede. Forgotten much he taught us, we have."

"Including what I once said about tradition, it appears," replied the stranger. "That it is good to have traditions that tell us who and what we are, but that if we cling to them out of habit, if they no longer serve us, that instead we serve them, they become confining. And that if we need to discard some traditions in order to grow, then discard them we must, and create new ones in their place to serve us until they serve no more."

Yoda nodded. "Indeed," he said. "Bound too much by tradition, we have become. Blind to the threat in our midst, it made us." He looked around. "Palpataine, used this blindness he did. A lesson there is in this for us all."

Master Rancsis thought for a moment, and then nodded. "I agree."

"So be it," Yoda said. He looked at Anakin. "Jedi Skywalker, you may arise. Reclaim your lightsabre." He looked at the stranger. "What would have us do, Grand Master?"

"Tend to the dead and to the living first," the stranger replied. "Then try and learn what the overall strategic situation is, and begin to reconfigure your strategy to cope with it. Rebuild your forces. And towards that end, I offer you a force that I had the clone masters of Kamino create for this purpose."

"An army you have?" Yoda asked. "Of clones, is it?"

The stranger nodded. "Clones of members of my own species," he replied. "And all capable of using the Force to some extent."

"A formidable force, this is," Yoda said. "And you?"

"I'll be training Anakin and Master Kenobi," the stranger replied. "Then we hint down a certain Sith lord."

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	5. Chapter 5

As the three walked out of the turbolift that had carried them down from the High Council chamber Anakin, about to ask the stranger what they were to do next was suddenly almost crash-tackled by a lithe orange-brown humanoid form. Obi-Wan Kenobi and the stranger stood off to one side and looked on with some amusement as Anakin tried to disentangle himself from the being that had leapt onto him.

"You made it!" the being, who had slowed down enough for the others to identify her as a young female Togrutan Jedi, cried out. "I heard all about you facing down the Sith Lord, Sky-Guy, but you're here and in one piece!"

Grinning, Kenobi reached over and tapped the young Togrutan female on the shoulder. "Now, now, Ahsoka," he said. "Anakin's just had a rather trying session in front of the Council, so he needs some time to recover."

Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano blushed and let Anakin go. Standing before the Jedi Master, she straightened herself up and bowed. "My apologies, Master Obi-Wan," she said. "But..."

Kenobi, still grinning, held up a hand. "No need to explain, Ahsoka dear," he replied. "You were glad to see your former master alive and in one piece. Something you can thank our friend here for," he continued, indicating the stranger.

Ahsoka looked at the stranger and, as she registered his presence in the Force, gasped. Then, straightening herself up, she bowed to him. "My thanks, Master..." she said, looking at Kenobi for some clues.

"I call myself _Er-Ranalantae_," the stranger said. "It reminds me of the price of overweening pride, amongst many other things."

Ahsoka looked puzzled. "Ahsoka," Kenobi quietly said, "this is the Founder. He founded the Jedi Order long ago."

Er-Ranalantae shook his head. "I really should not claim that distinction," he replied. "If I did indeed found it, it was not as a conscious decision on my part." He looked embarrassed.

"So, if you didn't consciously set out to found the Order," Kenobi said, "how did it come to be?"

"As I said, I was just a freelance wandering teacher," replied Er-Ranalantae. "I was teaching some other beings what I had learnt over the preceding millennia and the next thing I knew they had formed an Order based on what I had taught and named me Grand Master."

"So the creation of the Order was something that, in one sense, you really didn't have a hand in?" asked Kenobi.

"Correct." The three suddenly remembered that they had company, and looked at Ahsoka Tano. She stood in front of them, eyes wide and her gaze fixed on Er-Ranalantae.

"You are the Founder?" she whispered. "The founder of the Jedi Order?"

Er-Ranalantae sighed. "I'm called that, yes," he replied. "But as you just heard, the Order was really not my idea."

"Grand Master Er-Ranalantae is going to instruct Anakin and I in some... What _would_ you call it, Grand Master? Kenobi asked.

Er-Ranalantae smiled. "Call it a refresher on what the Jedi Order has forgotten," he replied. "Then, after you are both ready, we go after a certain Sith lord. And after he had been dealt with, both you and Anakin will be able to help me to transmit that knowledge throughout the Order. A reformation, one might say."

"Do you think it might be possible to include young Jedi Tano here?" Kenobi asked. "She was promoted to Padawan Learner rank at a fairly young age because she showed great promise. And, I do admit, because we were forced to promote younger candidates due to the demands of the war."

"A good idea that is, Master Obi-Wan," said a voice from behind them. They turned around to see that Yoda had come down from the High Council Chamber. Accompanied by Madames Allie, Yaddie and Billaboa, he exited from the turbolift. "Of course, to the Grand Master this decision belongs."

Er-Ranalantae said nothing, but turned a measuring gaze onto the young Togrutan. Ahsoka said nothing, but put onto her face a look that clearly, to the bemused Anakin and Kenobi said _I'll behave myself._ Suddenly Er-Ranalantae grinned. "Why not?" he said. Reaching out, he placed a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. "Welcome to the club, young one," he said. "I should warn you, what I intend to teach will be challenging in many respects."

Ahsoka beamed. Then, placing a serious look on her face, she bowed. "Thank you, er, Master!" she said.

Er-Ranalantae turned to Anakin. "You had best go to the Senate, Anakin," he said. "Check in with Senator Organa and Senator Amidala, see if they're all right." Anakin said nothing but nodded and went off to find a gunship to take him to the Senate building.

Yoda looked at Er-Ranalantae. "Approve of this, you do, Grand Master," he said. "Approve of this, I... Not sure I am, anymore."

Er-Ranalantae looked at his former, and once again, pupil. "Doubts are good, Yoda," he said. "Especially when it leads you to question something as rigid as dogma."

"But shouldn't Jedi practice detachment?" Madame Allie asked.

"Detachment in _some_ circumstances, such as battle, or sitting in judgement, is good," Er-Ranalantae said. "But can you truly say that detachment is the way of the universe? Of course not! We are all attached to one another through our relationships with each other and, ultimately, through the Force. Detachment can be seen in that circumstance as an illusion. The Jedi should practice freeing themselves from illusion. Then they would be better placed to fulfil their role." He looked at the Jedi Master. "Consider that your first lesson in the reformation of the Order."

"But what about attachments, such as young Skywalker's?"

"Neither discourage nor encourage, except as a friend," Er-Ranalantae said. "Accept such as the will of the Force."

"And the Sith?"

"They represent a side of the Force that is contrary to all that is good within the Universe," Er-Ranalantae said. "Darkness as against Light, destruction and indifference as against nurturing and caring. But Light cannot exist without the Dark to measure itself against. They are the two sides of the same coin. Only when they are in balance will the Universe be in harmony." He indicated where Anakin had gone. "And that young being is an important part of that harmonising." The Jedi Master followed Er-Ranalantae's finger and frowned.

Er-Ranalantae sighed. "I suppose I had best put it to you this way," he said. "There is a monastery that has an eastern and a western hall. One being comes out of the eastern hall and another from the western hall. When they both meet, they shout at once. One of them is the host and one the guest. Which is the host and which is the guest?" The Jedi masters looked at one another, trying to figure out what the meaning behind the story was.

Then Yoda smiled. "Unimportant the distinction is," he said. "For both from the same source originally come: the Force." He looked at Er-Ranalantae. "Forgotten that, in our dealings with the Sith, we have."

"But understanding that will give you greater strength," Er-Ranalantae replied. "That will help you to overcome all that is illusory. Including, if I may be so bold, some teachings that have crept into the Order." His gaze hardened as he ran it over the assembled Council members. "Such as this 'Prophecy of the Chosen One'."

Yoda bowed his head. "Grand Master, foolish were we to try and read into prophecy things that our wishes were," he said. "Much we have paid for that lesson we have."

"However, not all of it was misread," Er-Ranalantae said. "Anakin Skywalker will bring balance to the Order and to the Force, since he now knows both the Light and Dark side." He nodded. "I can easily see him ultimately become head of the Jedi Council. But only if he wants it." He frowned. "_Not_ if he is pushed into it by this whole _The Chosen One_ business!" The Jedi Council members flinched as Er-Ranalantae's scorn lashed them. "And to consider emotions a threat! Are you living beings, or automatons?"

"What would you have us do, Grand Master?" asked Madame Billaboa.

"_Learn_ from your emotions. Learn not to fear the _emotion_, but to fear what letting emotions such as fear, anger and hate can lead you to. But also learn that they can be used to do good in the right context, that they can be controlled and channelled. _Not_ learning that... Well, you have seen where that can lead."

"And detachment?"

"Be detached in passing judgement and in battle," Er-Ranalantae said. "But also learn to use _positive_ emotions, such as love. _That_ is an emotion that can overcome vast obstacles, even to the point of death and beyond." He nodded in the direction Anakin had gone. "Something, I feel, that young Anakin is _already_ your master in." He gave a small smile. "Perhaps he may need a little directing in how to best use his emotional empathy, but then, that will be a part of what I'll be teaching him."

"But much of what you are saying contradicts the Jedi Code!" said Madame Allie.

"And much of the Code prevents you from doing what is right," Er-Ranalantae replied. "If you have to choose between the Jedi Code and doing what you know is right, always go with your feelings. Usually it is the Force trying to tell you what you ought to be doing." He looked around. "Well, I suppose I had better set about finding myself some quarters."

"No need, Grand Master," Yoda said. "Your suite, prepared always it is. Waiting for your return, it is."

Er-Ranalantae grimaced. "I do not deserve such consideration," he replied.

"But deserve it you do," Yoda replied. "As also our respect."

Er-Ranalantae looked at Yoda, and then, sighing, looked at Kenobi. "Then I suppose I had best go to this suite you have for me," he said. "And, Master Yoda? There are two senior Padawans, Made Pterois and Gilead Thuus. Could you, with their masters' permission, please send them to my quarters? They fought alongside me in defence of the Temple, and I suppose I had best add them to this little class I seem to be forming."

Yoda bowed his head. "Send for them I shall, Grand Master."

Er-Ranalantae bowed in reply. "Thank you, Master Yoda." He turned and looked at Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano. "Then we had best get me settled in, Master Kenobi, Jedi Tano, and then, when Anakin and the others join us, we shall ready ourselves for this evenings ceremonies. The dead deserve all the honour we can give them."

To this the assembled Jedi Masters could not but agree.


	6. Chapter 6

_Good God! Another Chapter! What is the Universe coming to???_

_Hope you enjoy: I took so long because I knew where I wanted to take the story, but was a little unsure about how to get there.  
_

_Now, on with the story!_

* * *

**Chapter Six.**

_Main Control Centre, Separatist Manufacturing Complex, Mustafar, Several Months after the Second Battle of Coruscant and the Defence of the Jedi Temple._

Palpataine scowled as he examined the holographic schematic that showed the areas of the Republic and Outer Rim that were held by forces loyal to him. Much to his great displeasure those areas had been greatly reduced in the months following his flight from Corsucant.

When he had first arrived on Mustafar his first acts had been to have his clone troopers execute the Separatist leaders who had been present, including the viceroy of the Trade Federation, Nute Gunray and to transmit an order that placed the Separatist droid armies and their manufacturing plants under his control. Once that had been accomplished he began to plan the offensive that he had been sure would ultimately return Coruscant to his controlane with it his empire.

But things had not gone as he had wished. Firstly, when he moved to capture Kamino and its cloning facilities his forces were greeted not just by those clones that had been on Kamino and had remained loyal to the Republic but by a force that he had no knowledge of that the Kaminoans had been working on: a force that exhibited some mastery of the Force itself. Between them they had annihilated the expedition he had sent to secure the planet, thus cutting him off from a primary source of clone troopers. However, his backup sources, using templates other than that of Jango Fett as their model, were available and had been in production for some time. Granted, the clones they produced were neither as effective nor as proficient as the clones produced by the Kaminoans, but they were available in sufficient numbers. Or so he had thought.

Although he was well aware of the old maxim that superior numbers had a quality of their own, it transpired that the superior numbers he had when he combined his clone legions with the former Separatist droid army were not enough when faced with a reformed Grand Army of the Republic that had been reinforced by large numbers of the cloned Force-sensitive life form the Kaminoans had produced. Life forms, he realised when he felt their presence in the Force, that were manifestly of the same species as the mysterious stranger who, almost single-handedly, had completely derailed his plans for galactic domination, and which proved to be even more formidable in battle than the Fett clones to such an extent that his clone armies were unnerved merely by the sight of their antique-looking armour in battle.

Once he had managed to regain some measure of control over the droid armies and his loyal clone units, Palpataine had gone and scoured every Sith holocron and document he had in order to find out if they recorded any information about this mysterious stranger. Although the originals of his library had been left behind on Coruscant when he had fled the planet, he had prepared against this possibility by producing copies of every holocron and document he had discovered in his researches, secreting copies in locations where he had also set up ancillary command posts, such as Mustafar, in case he needed them. Thinking of this precaution and of his library on Coruscant brought an evil smile to his face. The Jedi didn't know where his copies were, and any Jedi who sought to access his hidden library would pay for it with their lives when the booby-traps he had set activated. But going through his holocrons and documents had given him some of the answers he had sought.

It appeared that the mysterious stranger had been around at the formation of the Jedi Order, and had even witnessed the formation of the old Sith Order at the time of the First Great Schism, when the renegade Jedi who would found the Sith Empire were expelled from the Order at the end of the Hundred Years' Darkness that had followed. Some records even named him as the founder of the Jedi Order, something that Palpataine found at once both interesting and disturbing. But, unsurprisingly, it was the records of his own master, Darth Plagueis the Wise, that gave him much of the information he sought. And what he learned disturbed him, but paradoxically, also gave him hope that he could turn some of the Jedi against the stranger most of the records named as _The Exiled Lord_ or _The Fallen Wanderer_, names that the stranger had given himself. But only Darth Plagueis' holocron had what its creator claimed was the true name and past of the stranger. This was something that Palpataine thought he could use.

A disturbance in the Force drew Palpataine's attention away from his musings. Concentrating on it, he smiled._ So the Fallen Wanderer has finally arrived_, he thought. _And it appears he has brought company_. The Force signatures of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi were well know to Palpataine by now, as was that of Anakin's former padawan. The other two he did not recognise, but knew that if they were arriving in the company of the being who had become his greatest enemy they had to be formidable in the ways of the Force. _And if the Jedis' precious 'Chosen One' won't turn to the Dark Side, perhaps one of those might, or perhaps even his padawan_.

He smiled to himself. _Now __**that**__ would be just the __**perfect**__ revenge, turning the 'Chosen One's' former padawan to the Dark Side. _With such thoughts and plans forming inside his crooked mind, he prepared to give his unwelcome guests a reception they would never forget.

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"He knows we're here," said Er-Ranalantae as Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Made Pterois and Gilead Thuus followed him down the ramp of Er-Ranalantae's ship. In addition to his usual attire he also wore a backpack. When queried by his students, he said that they may well need what he had inside it. A heavy blast rifle was slung over one shoulder.

"Then he will no doubt be readying a nasty little welcome for us," said Anakin. He and the others also carried blasters in addition to their lightsabres, and Anakin eased his into a more comfortable position.

Ahsoka nodded. "But we should be able to handle it, Master," she said.

Anakin looked at his former padawan. "Glad you think so, Snips," he said.

"Don't look now," said Obi-Wan, "but I think the reception committee's arrived." He pointed to where six droidekas were wheeling themselves into position.

"Oh, _great!_" said Anakin as he lit his lightsabre and took up a defensive position. "Destroyer droids!" Er-Ranalantae shook his head as he reached into his backpack. Pulling out what looked like a thermal detonator, he armed it and then casually tossed the sphere in amongst the droidekas. There was a loud electronic _crack_ and all six droidekas, which had by now deployed into their combat form, jerked and went completely limp.

"What was that?" asked Obi-Wan.

"It's a grenade that fries a droid's circuitry," replied Er-Ranalantae. "Useful thing." He looked at the others. "Picked up the basic design for it on a world on the other side of the galaxy where they have things that are _much_ worse, and also more sophisticated, than these."

Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka exchanged looks. "Wish we had _that_ in the war," said Obi-Wan. "May have made things a _lot_ easier."

Anakin nodded. A smirk came across his face. "But then, things wouldn't have been as much fun."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "Only _you_ could call what we've been doing these past three years _fun_, Anakin!" he said. Anakin smirked in reply as Er-Ranalantae gave a small smile and slowly shook his head.

"Since you're finished, I believe we should get a move on," he said. "After all, it would be _most_ impolite to keep our host waiting." He reached into his backpack and took out a device. Activating it, he said "Droid scanner. It'll tell us if there are any more welcoming committees up there." He unslung his blast rifle and, after arming it and attaching the scanner, led the party up the path the droidekas had come down, the muzzle of his weapon tracking where his eyes went. The others simply kept their lightsabres at the ready as they followed him. A couple of times they encountered battle droids, but Er-Ranalantae's reflexes and the Jedis' lightsabres made short work of them. At the top of the path they encountered some clone troopers and droidekas, but the latter were taken care of by a well-flung "droid-fryer" grenade (Anakin had come up with the term much to Er-Ranalantae's amusement). The clone troopers, initially thinking the droid-fryer was a thermal detonator, scattered and took cover, which allowed the Jedi and Er-Ranalantae to rush their position and take the clones out, something which caused the Jedi some grief. "After all," said Obi-Wan, "they're just pawns in Sideous' plans. Much like we were."

Er-Ranalantae nodded. "After Sideous is removed from the formula, I can tell you that, assuming we can take them alive, it is possible to remove the programming from them. But the key is taking them alive. Not to mention removing a certain Dark Lord from the picture." He indicated the doorway. "Whom I believe is awaiting us in there." With Er-Ranalantae in the lead, the party rushed over to the doorway, with Er-Ranalantae indicating that they should go to either side of the doorway. When they were in position, he fished out another "droid-fryer", armed it and threw it into the doorway. As soon as they heard the loud electronic crack, they rushed in, jumping over the prone forms of several battle droids. On the other side of the room was another open doorway. The group rushed over and looked at Er-Ranalantae. He looked at his droid scanner and shook his head.

Anakin spoke. "He's in there," he said quietly. "I can feel his presence in the Force."

Er-Ranalantae looked at Anakin. "Do you think...?" The rest of the question went unasked.

Anakin nodded. "Let's do this." Straightening up, lightsabre at the ready, he walked in, the others following.

When they saw what was waiting for them there they halted. There, standing beside a large holo display, stood Darth Sideous, the former Supreme Chancellor Palpataine. He wore a black, hooded robe, with the hood pulled up over his head. But, even though it shadowed his face, the disfigurement that the Force lightning had inflicted on it was still visible.

Palpataine gave a chuckle as the group arranged themselves in front of him. His sardonic eye took in the fact that Anakin, in place of his customary black under tunic and trousers, now wore grey ones cut in an identical fashion. "So the Jedi and their 'founder' have finally come for me," he said. "I wonder how the Jedi will regard their founder once they learn the truth about him?"

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "And what truth would that be?"

"That one of his names amongst his people is 'kinslayer'," Palpataine said. He looked directly at Er-Ranalantae. "Isn't that right, Grand Master 'Er-Ranalantae'? Or should I say, _Maglor Feanorion, Kinslayer?_" He chuckled. "Although I _must_ say I like the name you've given yourself: the 'Fallen Wanderer.' Seems to describe you quite well."

Er-Ranalantae looked at Palpataine. "I have never hidden who I am or what I did, or rather, what I did _not_ do on that day," he said. "My greatest regret is in not preventing my father and my brothers from that course of action. I still live with that regret, but have done what I can to atone for the deeds of that day. Unlike you, who hid what he was from all." He gave Palpataine a smile that, to the others, resembled that of a predator. "And if you have indeed found out everything about me, as you seem to be claiming, you'll know that I have faced creatures and beings that are darker, older and _far_ more powerful than anything you have ever seen, even in your worst nightmares. To me, you're nothing more than a mortal wizard. A powerful one, granted, but still a mortal."

Palpataine looked at the Jedi with Er-Ranalantae. "You don't seemed at all surprised."

Anakin spoke. "That's because, unlike _someone_ in this room _he_ hid _nothing_ from either us _or_ the Jedi Order."

Palpataine smiled as he felt Anakin's anger."Good," Palpataine said. "I feel you anger. Use it to try and strike me down."

Anakin smiled and slowly shook his head. "My anger is not directed at you," he said. "Rather, at what you stand for."

"Then what _do_ I inspire in you? Fear? Disgust?"

"Pity. Pity for you and all of the Sith."

Palpataine snorted. "I do not need your _pity!_"

"Then you are lost." Anakin looked at the others. "And I say we have had enough bandying with Sideous. Let's take him now."

Palpataine gave a wicked smile. Suddenly his lightsabre sprang to life and he leapt in a lightning-quick attack... straight at Ahsoka Tano. Before she could react he was upon her. However, his stroke, which would have killed her, was blocked... by the blue beam of Anakin Skywalker's lightsabre.

Anakin gave a predator's grin. "How about we take this elsewhere?" he said and, without even gesturing, Force-pushed Palpataine out through the door. As Palpataine flew through the doorway Anakin followed hard on his heels. After a brief moment the sounds of fighting floated back in through the open door.

The others, once they saw that Ahsoka was all right, made to follow, bu were stopped by Er-Ranalantae. "Your zeal to help Anakin is admirable," he said. "But this is something Anakin needs to do for himself." The others looked at one another, before Obi-Wan nodded in understanding.

"As you have so colourfully put it, this is Anakin's dog, and it's best he puts it down himself."

"But how will we know what's happening?" asked Ahsoka. "And if he will need our help?"

Obi-Wan placed a hand on the young knight's shoulder. "I know it's difficult, Ahsoka, but Anakin is more than capable of handling both himself and Sideous. Especially with all of the training he's recently had at the Grand Master's hands."

"But..." Ahsoka blew her breath out through her lips. "I suppose so. But how will we keep track of what's happening?"

"Through this." Obi-Wan reached over and punched a sequence into the holoprojector's keypad. Instantly a schematic sprang up, showing the location of both Anakin and Palpataine.

Obi-Wan frowned as he realised where the two were duelling. "I hope Anakin's careful," he said. "One wrong move, and that collector tower could fall into that river of magma."

"I think he knows what he's doing," replied Er-Ranalantae.

* * *

Anakin felt the Force flow through him as he duelled with Palpataine. Their progress through the outer chamber of the old processing plant's control centre was marked by damaged equipment where mis-strokes had impacted on equipment and on the structure of the building itself. Now they were on a walkway that led to a collection tower for the droids that took magma from the lava river beneath them and hauled it up so that it could be separated into its useable elements. So far, everything told him that he was doing the correct thing: but _Force_, was Palpataine powerful! Not to mention an excellent proponent of the lightsabre! But Anakin himself was now a match for the Sith Lord, and it was all thanks to the training he had received from the returned Founder of the Jedi Order.

One lesson went through his mind: _Sometimes_, Er-Ranalantae had said during one lesson, _it is a good idea to let yourself be driven by your opponent towards what may well turn out to be favourable ground. This applies to battle as well as to individual combat._

_That_ had been after a particularly exhausting fight, when Er-Ranalantae had taken on Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, the two Senior Padawans _and_ Master Yoda in a bout in order to demonstrate the use of terrain in a fight. The lesson had taken place in the Room of a Thousand Fountains and he had used pretty much all of it. It was watched by most of the surviving Jedi in the Temple, and afterwards they had said that it was the first time that _any _of them could recall Master Yoda being defeated in a bout.

"Such a bout as this, I have not had in a _long_ time," Master Yoda had said at the end. But he had a fond smile on his face as he looked at Er-Ranalantae.

Another thought went through Anakin's mind: _Always remember to use your brain to defeat your enemy. Find your enemy's weak points, and then attack them._ But he wasn't sure that Palpataine _had _any weak points.

_Know yourself and know your enemy_, Er-Ranalantae had said. _By understanding the enemy and yourself, you can engage in a hundred battles without ever being in danger._ But what was...

It came to Anakin as he dodged a cut: Palpataine's weakness was what _Palpataine_ considered a strength: his use of his anger and rage. If Anakin used Palpataine's anger and rage properly... He danced out of reach and stood at the end of the platform. "Is that the best you can do?" he asked.

"My worst is still better than your best, _Jedi_!" growled Palpataine. Anakin kept his face carefully neutral, but deep down he smiled a predator's smile. Palpataine had given him a sign of yet another potential weakness: his pride. _Turn all three against him, and_... Anakin smirked and, using his good hand, gave Palpataine the universal sign to come and get him.

Palpataine snarled and cut at him, which Anakin glanced away and, as he had been taught by Er-Ranalantae, used the energy imparted to his weapon by Palpataine's cut to turn his glance parry into an overhead cut, which segued into an underhand cut, forcing Palpataine back onto the defensive. Much to Palpataine's discomfort, he realised that Anakin was not fighting like a Jedi, but like a swordsman, using Palpataine's own strikes to power his own attacks. This served to make Palpataine angrier than before, and in his rage he used the Force to rip out a control panel and hurled it at Anakin, who dodged it. The panel, however, controlled a force field that had shielded the complex against falling lava bombs from a nearby volcanic vent as well as from the lava river that flowed underneath it. Now, with nothing to stop them, lava bombs started falling around the two as they fought while down below, the lava river, no longer held back by the force field that had protected the collection plant, started eating away at both the plant's supports and the cliff on which it was built.

Eventually, something had to give. What did give was the bridge that connected the lava collection point to the rest of the complex: the bridge they were fighting on. With a groan of tortured metal the walkway began to give way, causing the collection centre to slowly topple into the lava river below, and sending both combatants scrambling for handholds. Eventually, suspended from the remains of power conduits, the duel resumed, with Palpataine attacking Anakin every time they swung past each other. Eventually Anakin noticed that the tower was going to go over a fall of molten rock and, seeing a hauler platform following the collection plant, jumped onto it and, after overriding its controls, readied himself in case Palpataine followed. He heard a high-pitched whine, as though of a tiny repulsorlift motor, or a series of them, coming near and, without taking his eyes off the collection tower, noted that a swarm of tiny holovideo cameras mounted on equally tiny repulsorlifts had followed them into the river valley.

_Good_, he thought. _They're recording all of this._

Just then the collection tower, which had been slowly sinking into the river of molten rock, went over the falls. As it did so Palpataine jumped from the tower just as it was going to go over and landed on top of a small repulsorlift droid. Overriding its controls with the Force, Palpataine headed for Anakin's repulsorlift platform, and Anakin, seeing him come, readied himself.

As he arrived at the platform Palpataine put himself in-between the shore of the lava river and Anakin's platform and slashed at Anakin, who responded with a parry and riposte, forcing Palpataine onto the defensive. Seizing the opening provided, Anakin, using his weight, edged his platform closer to the shore while at the same time following up his counterattack with a series of cuts and thrusts. Palpataine, however, soon realised what Anakin was up to and began to move his small repulsorlift droid so as to cut Anakin off.

_Time to end this_, Anakin thought as he defended himself from Palpataine's attack. Once more he glanced parried Palpataine's attack. But instead of a cutting riposte he flung himself into a leaping dive, thrusting his lightsabre ahead of him almost as a spear point. As he had expected Palpataine managed to parry it with contemptuous ease, but Anakin, by turning his dive into a forward roll and making use of the Force, managed to land on the black, sandy shore of the lava flow. He turned, weapon ready, held in a low guard that would enable him to either attack or defend.

Palpataine guided his small droid to in front of where Anakin stood. "This is the end for you, _my friend_," he said. "Somehow, I find myself wishing it weren't so."

"I agree: it _is_ the end," Anakin replied. "But I hold the high ground."

"You _sadly_ underestimate the power of the Dark Side," Palpataine said and, lightsabre ready, took a flying leap straight towards the bank of the lava flow. His move though left him open to attack and Anakin, with a speed and reflexes that had been honed over the preceding months, struck, slicing first Palpataine's legs from his body, and then removing the arm which held his lightsabre. Palpataine fell, landing on top of the bank, and began sliding back down towards the river of lava. His left hand clutched at the black sand that made up the flow's banks, slowing his slide.

Anakin stood above his foe. He moved over to where Palpataine's severed arm lay and gingerly removed the lightsabre from it. Attaching it to his belt, he moved back in front of Palpataine.

Palpataine kept clutching at the black sand, trying to arrest his slide into the molten rock. He looked up as Anakin loomed over him. "Help me!" he said. Anakin paused for a moment and then, reaching out with his artificial hand, grabbed Palpataine's left arm. Straining with the effort, he slowly pulled Palpataine to safety.

"Why?" croaked the fallen Sith Lord.

"Because you deserve a trial, in front of the Senate and the entire Republic," Anakin replied. He heard footsteps come crunching through the black basalt sand and, without turning, addressed the person who came up behind him. "Isn't that so, Master?"

The footsteps halted alongside Anakin, and Palpataine saw another pair of boots, brown as against Anakin's black, stop alongside his captor. Looking up, he followed the boots up, past the being's waist... and looked straight into the face of Jedi master Mace Windu.

"How...?" he asked. "I saw you fall out of the window of my office!"

"Luckily, or rather, it was by the will of the Force, I managed to land on top of a cargo hauler," the Jedi Master said. "I was able to reach a medical facility which dressed my wounds. Eventually I made my way back to the Temple and caught up with what had happened... including the reappearance of the Order's Founding Grand Master." He looked at Anakin. "He convinced me that, while Anakin's actions were a _bit_ extreme, his intentions were the correct ones."

Anakin looked somewhat sheepish at Windu's remarks. "Somehow I suspect you will _never_ let me live down what happened. And deservedly so, I suppose."

Windu indicated the prone Sith Lord. "We had better get him ready for transport back to Coruscant." He reached into his robes and, from an internal pocket, brought out a restraining collar. "This will cut off your connection to the Force," Windu said as he placed it around Palpataine's neck. "Even though Anakin's crippled you, in my opinion you are still dangerous."

"Quite correct, Master Windu," Anakin said. Together, they placed Palpataine onto a small repulsorlift platform that Windu had brought down. Together they guided it up the pathway that Windu had come down. Near the control centre they met the others.

"Ah! You have him!" said Er-Ranalantae as they approached the group. "And I see he has been rendered harmless." He looked at the others. "Let's get him on the transport and, after his wounds have been tended to, back to Coruscant for his trial before the Senate."

On hearing that Palpataine cackled and lifted his head and looked at the assembled Jedi."Before the Senate? You have little hope of convicting _me_ before the Senate! As I told Master Windu, I _am _the Senate!" He cackled again. "They will free me and I will _crush_ the Jedi with the _blessing_ of the Senate!"

Er-Ranalantae smiled and looked at Palpataine. "I can understand you thinking that," he said. "But that was before we found your concealed library of Sith artifacts and showed them to various Senators from the various factions. Interesting little trap, by the way, but easily overcome, once you know how," he added as an aside. Indicating the small cameras hovering around them, he continued; "And every aspect of what happened here was recorded by small holocameras on repulsorlifts and transmitted live to the Senate, which is currently in session and hearing every word we are saying." He looked at Palpataine. "So I would question whether you have the influence with the Senate you once had."

Fir the first time since anyone knew him Palpataine truly looked defeated. "It appears you have thought of everything, Kinslayer," he said

"One can never think of _everything_," Er-Ranalantae said. "Such as you may decide to stop your heart... Oh yes, I know about _that_ little trick the Sith perfected so as to avoid a situation like this, which is why I had Master Windu place that abomination around your neck. You will get the trial you so richly deserve."

"And the _punishment_ I deserve? Most likely death, if the Jedi have their way."

Er-Ranalantae shook his head. "You _truly_ do not know the Jedi," he said. He looked at the others. "Let's get him onto the transport and back to Coruscant."

"What about the controls for the Separatist droid armies and the factories that make them?" asked Anakin.

"Taken care of," said Obi-Wan. "We didn't switch them off: rather we sent signals that placed the droid armies under the control of the Republic. Once the last resistance to the Republic's forces are overcome, they will simply act as a garrison until we can get live troops there, whereupon they just simply shut down." He looked at Er-Ranalantae. "The Grand Master thinks we should keep the more advanced models and use them as training equipment for any future armies and in the Temple."

Er-Ranalantae shrugged. "Waste not, want not," he said. "A good philosophy to follow. Besides, the droids and the factories that manufacture them could well be of some use in reconstruction work, now that the war is effectively over. At least we may be able to gain _some_ good from all of this."

He indicated Windu's replacement hand. "How do you like your replacement?"

Mace Windu flexed his artificial hand. "It's pretty good," he said. "Much better than what is generally used and so realistic you wouldn't even know it was artificial. However, I _am_ looking forward to the new hand you say that technology you brought back from the other side of the galaxy can grow for me." He looked at Anakin. "You should look into having your prosthetic replaced, Skywalker."

Anakin shook his head. "Thank you, Master Windu, but I would rather keep this one," he replied. "Reminds me of some rather hard lessons I've learned."

Mace Windu stopped and looked at Anakin with amazement. "It appears you _have_ grown, Skywalker," he said. "Maybe you _are_ ready for your Mastery."

"Only if the Council thinks I deserve it," Anakin replied, "and not just for defeating Sideous." With that, they followed the others towards the landing platform.


End file.
